Community ClicksQ: My husband and I are in our 50s.
We are having much pain from arthritis.
His is in his knees. I have had my thumb joint removed due to osteoarthritis, and now I am told I need hip-replacement surgery.
Glucosamine and chondroitin seemed to help for a while, but now we are back to limping.
What can you tell us about the benefits and risks of these supplements?
Are there other options?
A: A large government-sponsored study of glucosamine and chondroitin for arthritis of the knee determined that these supplements were no better than placebo for mild to moderate arthritis (Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases online, June 4, 2010).
A Norwegian study has found that glucosamine was ineffective for back pain due to spinal arthritis (Journal of the American Medical Association, July 7, 2010).
Although neither study noted serious adverse events, some readers of this column report that their cholesterol rises when taking glucosamine and chondroitin.
We are sending you our new Guide to Alternatives for Arthritis with more information on drugs, herbs, supplements and home remedies.
For a copy, send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (61 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. AA-2, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
Or download it for $2 from www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Other approaches include herbs such as turmeric, boswellia, ginger and nettles.
Remedies like soap, grape juice and Certo or pineapple also may help ease inflammation.
Q: You wrote recently about mosquito bites.
I am a mosquito magnet myself and get bitten every day during the summer.
I find that rubbing the bite with hand sanitizer stops the itch right away.
A: We don’t know why an alcohol-based hand sanitizer would ease itching, but we’re glad to hear that it works so well for you.
Someone else may benefit as well.
Q: I used Flonase for one year to ease nasal congestion caused by allergies.
I am 37 and have just learned I have cataracts in both eyes.
The optometrist was as surprised as I was that I would have cataracts at this age, particularly because I am in really good health.
I saw a commercial for Veramyst, and it says cataracts are a possible side effect.
I’m angry because I was never warned that Flonase might cause this problem.
A: Both Veramyst and Flonase nasal sprays contain the corticosteroid ingredient fluticasone.
Cataracts have been reported as side effects of this type of medicine.
A surprising range of other medications are linked to cataracts.
They include inhaled steroids (both nasal sprays and asthma medicine like Advair, Flovent, Pulmicort and Symbicort), the osteoporosis drug Actonel (risedronate), the blood pressure pill Cozaar (losartan) and the asthma inhaler Spiriva (tiotropium).
Most physicians and patients are unaware that cholesterol-lowering drugs such as Crestor, Lipitor and simvastatin also may be linked to an increased risk of cataracts.
There is no warning in the official prescribing information, but an article in the British journal BMJ (online May 20, 2010) suggests that this is an important side effect.
Q: I have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, with the most severe bone loss in my spine and hips.
I have taken Fosamax, Actonel and Boniva. Fosamax didn’t work, and Actonel and Boniva caused terrible musculoskeletal pain and a flulike malaise that lasted a long time.
I have discussed this with several rheumatologists, but none of them believed that these drugs could cause such side effects.
I cannot take Forteo or Evista, so I am pretty much out of treatment options.
In fact, my last rheumatologist gave up and said there was nothing he could do for me.
As a result, I am looking for other ways to combat my osteoporosis.
What suggestions do you have?
A: One possibility to discuss with your doctor is calcitonin (Fortical, Miacalcin).
This prescription drug mimics a natural hormone that helps with bone remodeling and is administered as an injection or in a nasal spray.
It can cause side effects such as nausea, flushing or allergic reactions, but it reduces the risk of fracture in the spine.
We are sending you our Guide to Osteoporosis with more information on all the medications and nondrug approaches that can help strengthen bones.
For a copy, send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (61 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. U-92, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
It can be downloaded for $2 from www.peoplespharmacy.com.
The side effects you experienced with Actonel and Boniva (muscle and bone pain and flulike symptoms) have been recognized by the Food and Drug Administration.
We’re not sure why your doctors were skeptical.
Q: I successfully treated my nail fungus with topically applied tea tree oil.
I saw improvement in only a few days and had complete results in about two weeks.
It then took time for the damaged area to grow back without fungus.
The treated nails are not discolored or deformed.
I had already tried several over-the-counter formulations with no improvement.
I was considering prescribed pharmaceuticals, but they take months and have side effects.
This worked for me.A: Tea tree oil comes from an Australian tree, Melaleuca alternifolia, that has long been recognized as valuable for treating skin problems.
The oil has antifungal activity, but some people are allergic to it.
Q: Here is a home remedy for you.
I got bitten by fire ants yesterday, and the bites swelled up and itched like crazy.
I applied castor oil right away, and the itching stopped.
The bites are just a little bit swollen today, and they don’t itch at all.
Castor oil sure works on ant bites!
A: Castor oil is an old-fashioned remedy that was once used as a laxative.
We’ve heard of using it on warts, bruises and sore joints, but this is the first we’ve heard of using it on ant bites.
Other remedies that readers have successfully used on fire ant bites include baking soda and vinegar, toothpaste and Vicks VapoRub.
Q: Two years ago, I was getting headaches every day for several months.
I visited five different doctors, but none had a clue as to the reason, and they weren’t any help.
I then read about a lady who had written to you.
She said her headaches stopped when she stopped eating wheat, oats, barley and rye.
The next day, I quit, and so did the headaches.
Other readers with chronic headaches should try not eating gluten and see if it helps.
A: Migraine headaches are an often-unrecognized symptom of celiac disease.
People with this condition cannot tolerate the protein gluten that is found in the grains wheat, barley and rye.
Because celiac disease damages the intestine and interferes with nutrient absorption, it puts people at higher risk for osteoporosis, dementia and some cancers.
Other symptoms can include digestive difficulties, itchy skin rashes, neuropathies, anemia and fatigue.
If you think you may have celiac disease, you should ask your doctor about a test.
